Happy Birthday, Scully
by Teliko. x3
Summary: It's Scully's birthday and no one seems to remember. For Andrea K. Happy Birthday, Best Frand!


**Happy Birthday, Scully**

**Rating: I guess it's okay.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own these sexy characters.**

**Summary: It's Scully's birthday and no one seems to remember.**

**A/N: This is completely dedicated to my best friend in the entire world, Andrea Karsesnick. Her birthday is soon and I wanted to surprise her with this, but Julia spilled the beans. But it's okay!! Because I was itching to let her read it anyway... so Andrea... this is for you. It took me about three hours to write it all. So you better freakin' enjoy it, bitch. =) I'm sorry if I made any mistakes and whatnot. I wanted to give this to her quickly. :D**

* * *

It was February 23rd, 1982. Her birthday. She was eighteen today.

It had snowed the night before, so as she stepped out of her house to catch her ride to school, she saw a winter wonderland in front of her eyes. Her older brother and sister were out of town. They were in college and very busy. She understood if they couldn't find the time to call her and wish her a happy birthday. Her younger brother was still asleep, as always. Her mother was just waking up to get Charlie ready for his day. Her father was out at sea.

As she stood on her front porch, anticipating the coldness of the snow, she wondered if anyone else would remember today was her birthday.

The car horn blasted and brought Scully back to reality. Today was going to be like every other day. She would get to school, grab her books from her locker, make her way to every class, eat lunch with Monica Reyes, her best friend, and go back home to start on her homework and her English research paper. There would be no presents, no party, nothing.

She told herself it was a good thing. Birthdays weren't special to her. It only meant she was one year closer to dying. She climbed into the front seat of her friend's car and smiled, then shivered as the warm air of the heater ran over her pale face.

"Did you start on your research paper yet," her friend asked as she pulled out of the snow covered driveway. Scully buckled herself in and settled into the seat.

"I was going to start on it tonight, actually."

"I don't get it. Why do teachers always give the crappiest work in the middle of semesters? A research paper in February? Really?" Scully played along and rolled her eyes, pretending to agree with her friend. Somewhere during the fifteen minute ride to their high school, Scully lost interest in the conversation and simply stared out of her window.

No matter how hard she tried to think of other things, her thoughts kept going back to her birthday. Today was her _birthday_ and no one seemed to care, or remember. As she got out of her friend's car, she told herself again that it didn't matter, it was just another day.

Monica Reyes came running up to Scully the second she stepped in the hallway. Her snow boots squeaked as she came to a stop right in front of Scully.

"Happy Birthday!!!" Monica threw her arms around her best friend. "I can't believe your eighteen. You can go to clubs now! You're like... an adult." Scully smiled. She should've known Monica, of all people, would remember her birthday.

"Thank you, Monica."

"So how does it feel to be legal now?" Scully shrugged, and together, the two girls walked to their lockers.

"I feel the same as I did yesterday when I was seventeen. My boobs didn't get any bigger. I didn't get any wrinkles. My joints don't hurt. So overall... I guess I feel pretty good."

"You're a trip, Dana." The bell rang and students began to walk to class. Monica smiled and gave Scully one last hug before she was off to her own class. "I'll see you at lunch," she called out over the loud roar of students.

Throughout Scully's entire first block class, her mind went through all the memories of her high school experience. She only had two and a half months of school left and she knew they would fly by before she knew it. Her memories varied from the time the basketball team had made it all the way to the state playoffs and won the title, the time the entire band marched through the hallway playing the school's fight song for homecoming, the football games she attended with Monica, her first F, the time she and Monica blew up their science project; all of the memories she would treasure forever. There was one memory, however, that just stuck out from the rest.

Fox Mulder.

--

Suddenly, she was back in Freshmen year all over again. She had just moved here from California. It was halfway into the year and she still hadn't made any friends. People were nice to her for the most part, but the girls were brutal.

She was in PE, the class she hated most. The coach had blown the whistle and threw volley balls out onto the gym floor. A group of girls had set up four nets and the class broke up into teams. She was picked last, as always, and shyly walked with her team to their net.

Scully knew she looked ridiculous. She was too short to reach the top of the net, so they always put her in the back. The smallest uniform shirt they had was too big for her. She had to roll up her uniform shorts twice so they wouldn't fall from her hips. She wore a regular pair of converse while every other girl had on a nice pair of Nike or New Balance.

She was daydreaming as the volleyball game started, thinking of the warm sand and clear water back in California. She thought about her old friends and wondered if they missed her. She would give anything to be back with them, to hang out at the beach and swim in the ocean after school.

Her coach's whistle broke her concentration and she found herself back in the florescent lighted gym instead of on the sunny beach. Her teammates looked back at her in frustration and Scully grew red in the face.

"Go get the ball, red," one of her teammates shouted. Scully looked across the polished floor, but there was no ball laying around. The ball had ended up in the bleachers, which were folded up and pushed against the gym wall.

Scully hated heights.

"Don't just stand there. Go get the damn ball," another girl shouted out. Scully let out a sigh and began for the bleachers. She was sure that if she didn't fall right on her ass, she'd get scared and make a fool out of herself. She slowly climbed the bleachers until she made it to the very top, where the ball was. She grabbed the ball and turned to climb back down, but she froze. "Throw it down!"

She tossed the ball and her team got back to the game without her. Her coach was standing in front of the bleachers with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What's so interesting up there, Ms. Scully?"

"Nothing."

"Then get down from there. Now."

On the other side of the gym, where all the boys were playing basketball, one senior had ran over to the girl's side to get a stray ball. Scully saw him instantly and locked eyes with him. He bent at the waist and picked up the ball, and as he picked up his head, his hazel eyes met hers. He was tall and muscular, from what Scully could see. His gray uniform shirt was tight on him and his navy blue shorts hung low on his hips. His brown hair was messy and the tips were dripping with sweat.

'Oh, God. He probably thinks I'm a loser. Shit. Just climb down, Dana. Don't look stupid.'

She stuck her foot in the small slits of the bleachers until she was halfway down. She could feel her fingers slipping and closed her eyes, preparing herself for the ultimate embarrassment of her high school experience. She tried to take one more step down, but she lost her balance and let out a small scream as she let go of the edge of the bleacher.

She felt a pair of arms around her and her eyes flew open. It was him. He smiled down at her, and continued to hold her in his arms.

"Hi."

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She could feel her cheeks grow hot and she was pretty sure she looked stupid, just staring up into his handsome face.

"I'm Mulder."

"Dana Scully," she answered back weakly. "Th-Thank you... for... saving my life, I guess."

He chuckled and placed her back on her feet.

"What were you doing up there, anyway?"

"Um... getting the ball for my team," she whispered. She glanced at her shoes and took a deep breath. She could still feel his arms around her and wanted nothing more than to be in them again. By now, her entire team had stopped playing and turned their attention to Mulder and Scully. "I hate volleyball," she whispered to Mulder. He nodded and looked around at all the upperclassmen.

"Yeah... most of the girls on your team are snobs anyway. I can see why you don't like to play."

"You know these girls," Scully asked.

"Most of them."

A tall brunette walked over to them and smiled at Mulder, ignoring Scully completely. Mulder glanced at Scully to let her know it was okay.

"Fox, what are you doing on our side of the gym," she asked in a flirty tone.

"Asking Dana if she wanted to join us in basketball," he announced proudly. "Isn't that right Dana?" Scully looked up at the brunette and nodded her head gently. "If we're bothering your volleyball game, we can leave."

"Yes. Let's leave," Scully spoke up and turned quickly with Mulder, walking to the other side of the gym with him. Once they made it past the coaches, Scully sighed and pressed her back against the glass window of the weight room. Mulder stood in front of her and simply stared at her.

She had the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. She was so small, he was sure he could carry her around in his arms all day. She looked adorable in her over-sized PE uniform.

"Thank you so much," she breathed out. "I can't thank you enough for pulling me away from them."

"You're welcome. I just... I know how you must feel right now," he admitted. "So... you up for a little basketball or what?"

"Really, I can just sit in the bleachers and watch. I'm not good at sports that involve passing or throwing balls."

"Just try?"

"I'll make your team lose," she pleaded.

"So? They can take a little disappointment." He grabbed her hand and dragged her onto the court. "Come on. These guys are nicer than your snobby teammates, I promise." Together, they walked out onto the basketball court and Mulder's teammates surrounded them quickly. "Guys, this is Dana. She's going to play with us for a little while. That cool?"

The team agreed and instantly took to their new teammate.

"So why aren't you playing volleyball on the girls side," one boy asked.

"Because the girls over there are all bitches," another boy answered for her. Mulder pointed to his friend and nodded.

"And that's exactly why she's with us and not them."

Halfway through the game, Mulder passed the ball to Scully, who froze instantly.

"Shoot it!"

"I can't," she screamed as she ran towards the goal, avoiding the other team. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind and she was lifted into the air. She laughed and stretched out as far as she could to toss the ball into the goal. She made the winning shot and her team cheered. Mulder cheered and kept her in his arms, running around the court as they celebrated their win over the other team.

The coach blew his whistle to signal it was time to dress out of their uniform. Mulder carefully put Scully back on the ground and gave her a high five.

"And you thought you were going to make us lose," he teased her.

"Well if you wouldn't have helped me out on that last shot there, we would have lost."

By now, everyone was in the dressing room except for Mulder and Scully. He shook his head and took a step closer to her. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders gently.

"You know what your problem is?" She shook her head and swallowed hard. "You don't believe in yourself." She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. "But that's okay... because I believe in you." She nodded and smiled. "And another thing... don't let those girls push you around, okay? They're jealous of you now, so keep that in mind." He winked at her and then took off for the boy's locker room.

--

The bell had run to dismiss her class. She packed her notes and papers, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out into the crowded hallway. As she passed the school's trophy case, she caught a glimpse of herself in the glass.

She had changed drastically over the past years, she could hardly believe the girl she was looking at was herself. She wore a pair of tight, dark wash jeans with the bottoms shoved into her furry snow boots, a tight black sweater that showed off her slender figure, and had applied soft make up that made her blue eyes even brighter.

She was gorgeous, yet intimidating. Hardly any of the guys had the courage to talk to her, afraid of getting rejected. Though, she didn't have a problem with her lack of crushes. She had eyes for one guy only.

Her next class was Trigonometry. She took her seat in the back of the class and pulled out last night's homework. As her teacher went over the previous lessons, she propped her elbow against the desk and rested her head in the palm of her hand.

Her teacher began reading a problem from their math book that involved basketball. At the mention of the sport, Scully went back to her daydreaming.

--

"You're coming to my basketball game tonight, just to let you know." It was the end of the day and everyone was leaving campus. It had been a month since the incident in the gym and from that moment, the two were inseparable. He was leaning next to her locker and holding her books.

"I'm not going to know anyone there. Who goes to a basketball game by themselves?"

"You'll know me. It'll be fun! Just come. Please?"

"You know, I have homework and tests to study for."

"Freshmen never have homework," Mulder replied, knowing he was right. Scully sighed and closed her locker. "I promise, I won't let you out of my sight until the game starts. And the second it's over, I'll be next to you. Okay?"

"Promise?" Scully held out her hand and he shook it gently.

"Promise."

After he dropped her off at her house, she practically ran inside and up the stairs to get ready. Her older sister, Melissa, came out of her room and watched her younger sister frantically throw clothes onto her bed.

"Going somewhere?"

"Basketball game," Scully answered.

"You don't like basketball."

"Yes I do." Melissa narrowed her eyes.

"Since when?"

"Does it matter?! Really? I have an hour to get ready until Mul- my friend comes pick me up."

"Mulder! Fox Mulder?" Scully winced at her slip and nodded. She looked at her sister's shocked face.

"Why? What's wrong with Mulder?" Melissa walked into her sister's room and closed the door behind her.

"Nothing. It's just... that guy is super sexy and hard to get. How'd you end up with him?"

"We're not together. We're just friends, Melissa. He has a game tonight and he wanted me to go. That's it."

"Well a word of advice, feel special. He's never had a girlfriend before, except for this one girl. No one liked her. Ever since they broke up, he's been cautious around girls. It seemed like no one was good enough for him once Diana broke up with him."

"How do you even know this," Scully asked as she slid into a pair of jeans.

"He was a junior when I was a senior. Even some of the senior girls wanted him."

For the rest of the hour, Melissa helped her sister with her outfit and make up. Mulder was ringing the doorbell right on time and Mrs. Scully had answered the door.

"Dana! Your friend is here!"

Scully thanked her sister and made her way down stairs, where Mulder was sitting in the living room with his basketball letter-men buttoned up. Mulder couldn't believe eyes. Even in casual clothes, she was adorable. She wore her usual converse with jeans and a school spirit shirt.

"Dana, honey... make sure you take a jacket with you. It's cold out there," her mother reminded. Scully nodded and began to look around the room for a jacket, but Mulder stood up from the couch and unbuttoned his letter-men.

"Here. Wear this." He held the jacket open for her as she slipped her tiny arms into the sleeves. "I promise, you won't get cold." Mrs. Scully smiled and thanked Mulder, who simply smiled. "Mrs. Scully, after the basketball game, I had plans to eat dinner with the team. I was wondering if Dana would be able to join us?" Mrs. Scully smiled and nodded.

"Of course. Please, Fox, just be careful driving in that snow."

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright then. Have fun, sweetheart," she said to her daughter as Mulder lead her out of the house and to his truck.

The entire way there, the two laughed about random things and held a nice conversation about the team Mulder was going up against. When they made it into the student parking lot, Mulder shut off the truck, got out, walked to Scully's side, and opened the door for her.

She thanked him and together, they jogged into the gym where the visiting team was practicing. Mulder didn't have to be in the locker room for another twenty minutes, so he found a spot for Scully to sit and lead her over. Together, they watched the other team run up and down the court.

"So... do you think we're going to win," he asked her.

"Well... considering the other team runs like they have something stuck up their ass, then yes. I do think you guys are going to win."

"Glad to hear it." There was a sudden change in Mulder's facial expression and Scully noticed instantly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he quickly answered. "Did I tell you that I'm glad you came?" She smiled.

"No, but you just did and you're welcome. Now... tell me what's wrong."

"Scully, it's nothing. Really."

"Mulder."

"Alright, fine." He ducked his head and whispered in her ear. "The girl across from us, the one in the red sweater? That's my ex-girlfriend, Diana." Scully nodded. "She's been following me practically everywhere I go. It's just... awkward, you know?" She nodded again. "She cheated on me with one of my teammates." Scully gasped.

"What?! Why would she do that?" Mulder shrugged and looked down at their shoes.

"I don't know. I wish I knew." Scully placed a hand on his back and rubbed soothingly. He allowed his eyes to close for a brief second as she whispered in his ear.

"Don't worry about her. She doesn't deserve you. She must be the dumbest person on this planet for giving you up. Besides, do you know how many girls there are out there? Girls who are way better than that piece of trash sitting across from us?" Mulder looked up from their shoes and into her blue eyes, which were sparkling in the bright lights. He nodded and smiled, then stood up from the bleacher and pealed off his black hooded sweatshirt. Underneath was his basketball uniform shirt. He handed her his sweatshirt and smiled.

"Thank you, Scully."

"Don't mention it. Now get out there and win me a basketball game."

"Now you're talking."

The game went by quickly for Scully, who cheered and screamed for the team the entire game. When it was finally over with a score of 52 to 45, Mulder ran up into the bleachers where Scully was sitting and scooped her up into his arms.

"You guys won," she cheered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We did! Now... time to celebrate!"

He carried her down the bleachers and set her down on her feet, then grabbed her hand and led her through the swarm of people. Scully could see through the corner of her eye that the basketball team was taking a group picture for the newspaper, and she tugged on Mulder's hand.

"They're taking a picture! Go!"

"They have enough pictures of me."

"But Mulder... this is your last year playing. I'm sure your teammates want you in that picture, too."

"Scully, I told you that I'd be right by your side the very second the game was over. Look where I am." She looked down and sure enough, their hands were still clasped although they had broken through all the people. "A group picture without me won't kill the team. Okay?" She nodded and he pulled her outside into the snow. He bent down at the waist and smiled at her. She took the hint and jumped onto his back, and laughed as he took off in a sprint for his truck. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. He slowed down once he approached the truck and set her down so they could get in.

He drove them to a local fast-food joint where all the seniors met after school. He helped her out of the truck again and walked with his hand against her lower back until they made it inside the building. Most of his classmates were already there, crowded in the back corner and fighting over french fries.

"Are you hungry," he asked while pulling out his wallet. She looked around and shook her head. He sighed, smiled, and turned to the woman behind the counter. "Two double cheeseburgers, two large Cokes, and two orders of fries please."

"Mulder," she pleaded.

"Is that all," the woman asked. Mulder nodded. "Four dollars and twenty-eight cents, please." Mulder handed her a five and told her to keep the change. The woman fixed their drinks and informed Mulder that their food would be out shortly.

"Mulder, you didn't have to-"

"But I wanted to. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't buy you dinner?" She shrugged and he led her to a small booth next to the group of seniors. "Is this okay for you," he asked with concern in his voice.

"Fine," she nodded. She was still in his letter-men jacket and that caused him to smile. She noticed and leaned forward. "What's wrong?" He shook his head. "Mulder."

"Nothing, it's just... it must be eighty degrees in here and you're still wearing my jacket." She quickly looked down and shrugged off the jacket, growing pink in the face.

"I'm sorry. I forgot."

"No, it's okay. Honestly, you should probably keep it."

"What? Why?" Scully raised up the jacket and read his last name on the back that was outlined in white thread. "This is your letter-men."

"I barely wear it to school. _Someone_ needs to wear it and it fits you perfectly. So why not?"

"I... well... thank you." Their food was soon ready and Mulder excused himself from the table to get their trays. He placed her tray down first and sat down across from her with his. She took a bite of her burger and closed her eyes. "This is so good." He grinned.

"You're welcome."

The rest of the basketball team came through the doors and walked right up to Mulder, who smiled and held up his hand for high fives.

"Hell yeah! We kicked their ass, Mulder!"

"Where'd you go after the game, dude?" Mulder looked at Scully and smiled.

"We came straight here. I knew the traffic was going to get bad so we left early."

"Aww, that's our Fox! Always thinking on his feet." Scully laughed and took a sip of her Coke.

When she was finished with her burger and fries, Mulder stood from their booth and held out his hand. Scully looked at him in confusion.

"Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"To go home." She shook her head and stood up from her chair, placing her hand in his.

"No, I'm not."

"Well I promised your mom I'd get you home-"

"No. You asked her if you could take me to dinner after the game. It's only nine." He smiled.

"Alright. What do you want to do then?" They walked out of the restaurant and toward his truck.

"Anything. It doesn't matter. As long as I'm with you, I'll have fun." He stopped walking and looked down at her. She closed her eyes quickly and sighed. "Did I just say that out loud?" He laughed and wrapped an arm around her.

"You did. Whatever you want... Dana," he whispered in her ear. She smiled and climbed into his front seat. They sat in the parking lot for a few minutes, waiting for the truck to warm up.

"Do you ever think about us?"

"What do you mean," he asked as he backed out of his parking spot.

"Like... don't you ever think that... it's weird that we're friends?"

"Why would I think that?"

"I'm a freshmen and you're a senior. In all those teen movies, seniors are supposed to hate freshmen. I mean... don't you care what people think about you when they see me with you?"

"Scully, you're one of my best friends. Okay? I know... it seems weird because I'm practically three years older than you are and we're completely different, but you're still my friend. Who cares if you're a freshmen and I'm a senior? Who cares if you're a girl and I'm a boy? What I care about is you. I want to see you happy. You deserve so much. You're so beautiful." Her head snapped up and she looked at him, eyes wide and mouth open. He laughed and looked at her shyly. "Did I just say that out loud," he teased her.

"Yes. I believe you did."

--

Lunch had rolled around and Scully had met up with Monica by her locker.

"Lunch is on me today," Monica announced with a smile. "I'm treating the birthday girl and there's nothing nobody can do about it." Monica grabbed her best friend's arm and dragged her into the cafeteria. They got their usual, a salad and water for Scully and a slice of pizza and a can of soda for Reyes. They sat at their usual table, which was pushed all the way into a dim corner of the cafeteria and begun to eat their lunch.

"So... how has your day been so far," Monica asked.

"Fine. Boring, as always."

"Well... just wait until the end of the day. Maybe something exciting will happen."

"I highly doubt that."

--

"Scully! Live a little. You get a salad every day!"

"It's healthy for you, Mulder."

"It's boring," he said as he picked up a container which held a chili dog with extra cheese, a bag of chips, and a bottle of soda. "Now this is what I call a lunch."

"You call that a lunch? I call that cholesterol on a plate." He rolled his eyes and the two sat down at the table with the rest of Mulder's teammates. All of the guys nodded at the couple and made room for the two of them to sit down.

"If you continue to eat salad for lunch, you'll be light enough to serve as a basketball, Scully," one of the guys teased her.

"Okay! What the hell, guys. Since when do you care what I eat for lunch?" Everyone shrugged and Mulder laughed, then took a bite of his chili dog.

"It's okay, Scully. They're all just flirting with you," Mulder said with a mouthful of food.

"It's safe to say, if you weren't a freshmen, I would totally date you," one of Mulder's teammates spoke up and everyone laughed.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Scully muttered as she stabbed her salad, giving Mulder a glance before grinning just a little.

"Oh dude, I think she just turned you down."

"Scully, you just broke my heart."

"You'll recover, big boy," she replied, keeping her eyes focused on Mulder. She then looked around the table at her new friends and the smile faded. "I can't believe you guys are leaving me this year."

"Oh believe it. I can't wait until graduation." Mulder opened his bag of chips and leaned closer to Scully. "I mean, I'm gonna miss you Scully, don't get me wrong, but once you're a senior... you'll understand."

"Dude, we're all going to miss you. You're like... one of the guys... but not really," one of the boys at the table said with a smile. Scully giggled and leaned into Mulder's side. "Like... your a girl, but you're like... one of the guys, you know?"

"I think she understands," Mulder said with a chuckle.

The bell rang and everyone got up from their table to throw away their finished lunches. Mulder took Scully's empty salad container and water bottle and carried it to the trash can with his own lunch. He returned to where she was standing and smiled.

"Ever skipped before," he asked her.

"Like... a class?" She shook her head with wide eyes.

"Skip third period with me," he encouraged with a gentle voice.

"I... don't know, Mulder. What if we get caught?"

"We won't get caught. I know the perfect place." She looked around the cafeteria that was quickly emptying. "Do you trust me," he asked as he held out his hand. Without thinking, she put her hand in his and nodded.

"Yes."

"Follow me."

Mulder looked around quickly and pushed open the back door of the cafeteria slowly, then ushered Scully out first. He closed the door gently behind him, and together, they found themselves in the courtyard of the school. The stadium and football field weren't too far away, so they made a run for it in the falling snow. Scully couldn't contain her giggles as Mulder slipped on the slippery concrete steps of the stadium. They made it into the announcer's box that over looked the entire field. Mulder shut the door behind him and Scully fell into one of the chairs, laughing hysterically.

"What," he asked, slightly out of breath.

"You almost busted your ass on those steps."

"And you think your little Miss Graceful?" She laughed even harder and let her head rest on the back of the chair. She looked up at the ceiling, but soon, Mulder was standing behind her and looking down into her eyes. She stopped her giggling, but her smile remained. He gripped the arm rests of the chair and brought his face close to hers. He pressed his lips to her forehead and closed his eyes. He could smell her perfume and fell the warmth that radiated from her. He pulled back slowly and her eyes opened. She smiled and tilted her head up so their lips were inches apart. "Scully?"

"Please," she whispered.

When their lips pressed together, Mulder saw fireworks behind his closed eyes. Her lips were soft and moist, despite the bitter cold outside. Their lips remained pressed together for a few seconds until Mulder pulled away and turned the chair she was sitting in to face him. He quickly framed her face with his warm hands and pulled her out of the chair, pressing his lips to hers in a passionate, warm kiss. Her hands tangled in his messy hair and he inhaled sharply. He grabbed her hips and pulled her body against his as his back hit the wall of the room.

She moaned into their kiss and he pulled away gently, breathing deeply. She looked so innocent and beautiful in his arms.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. She reached up with her finger and traced his lips, which were swollen from their kiss.

"I'm not."

--

Scully's third period class wasn't any better. Her Physics teacher had decided to show a video on motion. Once the lights were off, she put her head down on her desk and stared out of the window. Snow was falling again, covering the courtyard of the school. She allowed her eyes to close and soon, she was drifting off into a light sleep.

--

"Come on. We're going to be late."

"How can you be late for a beach party," Mulder asked as she climbed into his truck, wearing a pair of white shorts and a green tank top. She had her black bikini on underneath that Melissa had forced her to wear. All the seniors were gathering at the beach for one last party before graduation and the varsity basketball team had insisted that Scully come along.

It took them an hour and a half to get there, and by then, everyone was in the water and splashing around in the waves. Mulder parked his truck in the first spot he could find and together, they got their towels and walked toward the beach. When Dany, one of the basketball players who had taken a liking to Scully the most, saw her, he ran from the water and picked her up by the waist and twirling her around in a hug.

"Short stuff! You made it!"

"Shut up, Dany!" Mulder laughed and gave his teammate a high five before pulling Scully along to an empty spot on the beach. They laid out their towels and Mulder pealed away his white t-shirt, exposing his muscular chest and arms. Scully grinned, but suddenly looked down at her own body and frowned.

"What's wrong," Mulder asked gently.

"Nothing."

"Aren't you gonna get in the water?"

"Yeah. Let's go." Scully took off for the clear water, but Mulder grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"You're not going in the water like that. I will not allow it."

"Like what?!"

"Strip."

"Excuse me," Scully's eyebrow shot up and she stood with her hands on her hips.

"I know you have a swim suit underneath those clothes." She sighed. "You don't want me to see you in it, do you?" She shook her head. "Why not?"

"I look stupid."

"I bet you don't."

"I'm serious, Mulder."

"So am I."

"You're going to laugh at me."

"I won't. I promise."

"I swear, if you so much as even crack a grin, I'm tearing you a new one."

"Geeze! Okay!" She gripped the edge of her tank top and slowly pulled it over her head, revealing her black bikini top. Mulder let out a deep breath and waited patiently. The next thing to go were her shorts, which pooled around her ankles. She kicked them to the side and stood in front of him, in a small bikini that turned him on beyond words. "If if makes you feel any better, you look absolutely beautiful." She blushed slightly.

"Thank you, but you don't have to lie to make me feel better."

"I'm not lying," he whispered in her ear, staying close to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He picked her up without warning and she let out a scream. He walked into the warm water with her and dropped her. She popped up from the water and paddled frantically.

"I can't reach right here, Mulder!"

"Whoops. I forgot." He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist again, pulling her against his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist and sighed. The water came up to his chest. She smiled at him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you."

"I can't have my best friend drowning." The waves began to pick up and Mulder jumped in time with them so they wouldn't get slammed and drift away from their friends. The entire time they were in the water, Scully clung to Mulder with her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

When it was time for the bonfire, Mulder carried her out of the water and set her down on her beach towel. He took a seat next to her and watched as she stretched out on the sand.

"Today was so much fun," she muttered after a yawn.

"Tonight will be even better," he stated, watching as his friends piled drift wood into a big triangle. The sun was beginning to set, casting shades of pink and purple onto the water. Scully sighed and leaned back on her hands. "I just can't believe it's almost over," he whispered. She looked at him for a brief second and laid her head on his shoulder. "It feels like just yesterday, I was a freshmen."

"What's that supposed to mean," she spoke up defensively. He laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Nothing, I promise. I'm just saying... it went by so fast. I'm kind of sad, actually."

"What? Why?"

"Do you really want to know?" She nodded.

"Because this means I'll have to leave you." Her heart stopped. Or at least, it felt like it. She hadn't thought about that until now. "I mean, I'm not going anywhere, but you'll be in high school and I'll be in college."

"Playing basketball, of course," she added with a smile.

"And you're okay with that?"

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know... I guess I'm just overreacting."

"Hey... we'll be able to see each other on the weekends or something. We can always hang out. I'll even go to your basketball games!"

"By yourself?"

"Everyone goes to basketball games by themselves now. Haven't you heard," she asked with a smile. He gave her a genuine smile back and wrapped his arm around her bare waist. Together, they watched the sun set and soon, the fire was blazing.

--

By fourth period, she was almost in tears. Her face was growing hot and she could feel her lip quiver. Every memory she had of him was causing her heart to pound against her chest. She missed him so much, words couldn't describe.

She waved her hand in front of her face once she sat down and pressed her lips together, trying hard to block out the memories of him. Today was not the day for her to get emotional over Mulder. She would not allow it.

--

She dragged her hand over her face. Tonight was it. Mulder's graduation. He would be there to pick her up in an hour. She had been ready all afternoon. She was in a soft, flowing skirt that reached her knees and a simple tank top. Her make-up was perfect, thanks to Melissa and her hair was straightened beautifully.

When the door bell rang, Mrs. Scully opened it to reveal a very handsome looking Mulder. He was wearing black dress shoes and pants and had a white dress shirt tucked into them, the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His outfit was completed with a black tie.

"Oh, Fox. You look so handsome," Mrs. Scully commented as she led him into the living room.

"Thank you, Mrs. Scully."

"Mulder?"

At his name, he looked up and smiled. Scully was standing at the bottom of the stairs, clutching his lettermen jacket and smiling.

"Dana," he answered back in a shaky breath. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready. Are you?" He nodded slowly then turned to Mrs. Scully.

"Mrs. Scully, thank you for letting me take Dana with me tonight. I promise I'll keep her safe." Mrs. Scully smiled.

"Thank you, Fox. And congratulations." She gave him a gentle hug and waved goodbye to the two. The drive to the gym was quiet. When they made it there, the sun was just going down and seniors were getting out of cars left and right, putting on their gowns and caps and taking pictures.

"I can't believe this is it," Scully whispered. Mulder grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. "I don't want you to graduate," she whispered. He smiled and ran his fingers gently through her hair.

"I wish I didn't have to graduate, too. If I could, I would stay here for another three years and graduate with you," he whispered.

"Then do it," she cried softly. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and frowned.

"Dana," he pleaded. "Don't cry. Please." She sniffed and pulled herself together before the tears would really start to fall. "Tonight, we're going to have fun. Okay? Just you and me. No one else. The entire night." She nodded. "Come on. Let's go..."

The ceremony went by quickly. The graduating seniors each went up, one by one, and received their diplomas. The principle said a few words and toward the end of the ceremony, announced the graduating class. Every senior stood from their chairs and tossed their caps into the air.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion for Mulder. As the caps fell around him, he looked around for Scully and saw her sitting there, not far away, smiling. He smiled back and soon, he was walking out of the gym and gathering with all of his friends to take pictures. The guests and parents slowly exited the gym and met with the seniors.

Mulder had stood off to the side, watching for Scully to walk out from the door. When he didn't see her, he considered going back into the gym, but a pair of heels echoed against the concrete sidewalk and he turned his head to see her walking out of another door, her face red and tears streaming down her face.

"Scully!" Her head popped up and she froze mid-step. All she could do was stand there, smile, and fight the tears. She wiped her face of the tears and smiled as he held his arms out for her. She ran from her spot and into his arms. He picked her up from the ground and twirled her in the air, all while pressing a kiss to her lips. He placed her back on the ground and caressed her cheek. "I'm never going to leave you. You're my best friend. If you're sad, then I'm sad. If you're happy, then so am I. Okay?" She nodded, tears spilling from her blue eyes. "Dana, don't cry. Please." She wrapped her arms around him and refused to move for a good ten minutes.

Finally, when they had separated for barely a second, Mulder revealed a white rose from behind his back. Scully was still wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"They gave me this rose and told me to give to the one person who made a difference in my life." The tears came back and she sniffed softly. "I'm giving it to you. You deserve this. You've made me a better person. I've changed because of you, Dana." She grabbed the rose with her shaking hand and threw her arms around his neck. "I want you to know you hold that place in my heart, okay? No one else has it. Only you."

--

The bell rang, dismissing everyone. The tears were streaming down her face as she walked through the hall. She took her time at her locker. Monica was no where to be found, which made Scully sigh in relief. She didn't want her friend to see her like this. Everyone had left by the time Scully was finished at her locker.

She knew her friend had probably left without her, and she was more than okay with that. A walk home in the snow is what she needed to calm herself down before she walked into her house. She pushed open the glass doors that led to the student parking lot and the first thing her eyes fell on was the dozens of balloons that were swaying in the air. A large, white teddy bear was sitting on the snow, and a nicely wrapped box was sitting in front of the bear. Next to the presents and balloons, stood Mulder.

She dropped her books.

It took her all but two seconds to run from the doors and into Mulder's arms. He stumbled back a little, but his grip on her tiny body was so tight, there was no way she could fall. His hand tangled in her soft red hair and his lips were pressed against her cheek.

"Mulder," she cried into his shoulder, gripping him for dear life.

"I'm here," he whispered, smoothing her hair down and pressing kisses all over her face. "I'm here."

"I- Oh my God. Mulder!" He twirled her around in the air and finally shoved her back gently to see her face. He framed her head with both hands and tilted her head back. Their lips met in a gentle kiss and Scully let her hand rest against the back of his neck. It was the first time she had seen him in three years. Their kiss went on for what seemed like hours, and it still wasn't enough for them.

"Happy birthday," he whispered into her hear.

"You remembered," she cried.

"Of course I remembered." He pressed one more kiss to her lips before resting his forehead against hers. "I love you too much to forget."

"You love me," she asked in a broken voice.

"Dana, I fell in love with you three years ago and I remain in love with you as I stand here."

"You waited," she whispered in relief. "I love you too. I love you so much." He smiled and picked her up again, twirling her around in the snow. "Never let me go."

* * *

**A/N: A bunch of songs were used to write this. Mainly: Far Away by Nickelback and I Miss You by Blink 182, which Andrea and I were listening to at the exact same moment without realizing, which is strange, I admit.**

**Happy birthday, best friend. I hope you enjoy it.**


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